The present invention relates to a device and method for mixing at least three products. The device and method may be particularly suitable for mixing at least two products in powder form with a third product. By way of example, the resultant mixture may form a hair composition, such as a dyeing or permanent-wave composition.
Conventional devices have been used for mixing two products. An example of such a device can be found in FR 2 680 357, which teaches a device having a first bottle designed to contain a first product, connecting means fixed to the base of the first bottle, and a second bottle designed to contain a second product. The first bottle has an open base in the form of a skirt and a dispensing nozzle at the top. The connecting means includes a central sleeve with a separable stopper on one end for closing the first bottle. The second bottle includes a neck engageable with the central sleeve. The neck is provided with a removable closure and drive means. Following removal of the closure, the drive means can engage with complementary means provided on the central sleeve to enable the expulsion of the stopper and to allow the two products to be mixed together.
Other devices for the mixing of three products are disclosed in EP-A-1 033 323 or U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,433.
In the case of hair compositions, new formulas have been developed in which the second product is itself the result of mixing two active agents, notably in the form of powders, which can only be mixed extemporaneously when the composition is about to be used. Consequently the mixing device must be capable of separately packaging three mutually incompatible products and of allowing them to be mixed when the composition is about to be used.
The problem then arises of how to contain two different powders separately, then bring them into contact with each other at the same time as they come into contact with the third product.
Another problem arises of how to introduce powders into the second bottle through the neck of the bottle. The difficulty is that because of the active part played by the neck of the second bottle in expelling the stopper, the cross-section of this neck is necessarily small. Thus, the powders must be introduced into the second bottle by means of tubes and pipes of small cross-section. Such tubes and pipes of small cross-section do not lend themselves to smooth flowing of powders because the powders tend to agglutinate and form plugs. This phenomenon is known as xe2x80x9ccakingxe2x80x9d.
Containers for the simultaneous delivery of two separately packaged products are disclosed for example in patents GB-A-687 733, FR-A-983 279, or U.S. Pat. No. 2,661,871.
One of the optional objects of the present invention is to provide a device for mixing at least three products that solves all or some of the problems discussed above with reference to conventional devices.
Another optional object of the invention is to provide a mixing device where the containers that are used for the packaging of the products to be mixed are easy to fill.
A further optional object of the invention is to provide a mixing device that is relatively simple to use and economical to produce.
Yet another optional object of the invention is to provide a device for the mixing at least three products, where two of them may be in the form of powders.
Still other optional objects will become apparent from the following detailed description that follows.
According to an optional aspect of the invention, a device for mixing at least three products may include a first container for the separate packaging of at least two products. The first container may include a first compartment configured to contain a first product and a second compartment configured to contain a second product isolated from the first product. The first container may further include a first open portion closed by a first cover and a second open portion closed by a second cover, wherein the first and second open portions each communicate with the first and second compartments. The device may also include a second container having a third compartment configured to contain a third product to be mixed with the first and second products, and a dispensing orifice. The device may further include a coupling configured to couple the first and second containers to allow mixture of the first, second, and third products.
According to another optional aspect of the invention, a device for mixing at least three products may include a first container having a first end and a second end and a partition within the first container defining at least a first compartment for storing a first product and a second compartment for storing a second product isolated from the first product. The device may include a first open portion at the first end of the first container, the first open portion communicating with the first and second compartments defined by the partition, and a first cover closing the first open portion. The device may further include a second container having a third compartment for storing a third product, a dispensing orifice on the second container, a mixing orifice on the second container, and a removable closure sealing the mixing orifice. The device may further include a coupling configured to couple the first and second containers to allow mixing of the first, second, and third products.
For example, the communication of the first open portion with both compartments might greatly facilitate the contact between the first and second products, which occurs at the same time as they come into contact with the third product. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication of the second opening with each of the compartments might greatly facilitate the filling process.
In another optional aspect of the invention, the area of the second open portion of the first container may be greater than the area of the first open portion. Thus, where the first and second products are in powder form, they might possibly be introduced easily through the second open portion before it is closed with the second cover. When the area of the second open portion is relatively large, the powders might be capable of being introduced through pipes and tubes having cross-sections sufficiently large to avoid the phenomenon of xe2x80x9ccakingxe2x80x9d discussed with reference to conventional systems.
Within the meaning of the present invention, the term xe2x80x9ccoverxe2x80x9d denotes any type of closure. For example, the cover could be connected in any known manner, such as screwed, snap-fastened, adhesively bonded, or welded (e.g., heat sealed).
According to a further optional aspect of the invention, the first and/or second open portions on the first container may be reversibly closed. The cover closing the first open portion may be a threaded cap. In an exemplary embodiment, the device may include a sealing element associated with the first cover and a sealing element associated with the second cover. For example, the sealing elements may be TRISEAL-type seals or any other seals.
The device according to the invention may be made with a variety of materials using any known industrial techniques, such as injection molding.
According to a further optional aspect of the invention, the cross-sectional area of a portion of the first container between the first open portion and the second open portion may decrease progressively towards the first open portion. A profile such as this might allow the first container to be emptied completely when turned upside down in order to produce the mixing of the three products in the second container.
In another optional aspect, the area of the second open portion may be approximately equal to the maximum cross-sectional area of the first container. This might enable maximizing the cross-section of the means useable for filling the first container.
The second cover could be a separately-formed add-on bottom connected to the first container. This connection could be permanent or non-permanent. The second cover is optionally attached to the first container by at least one of screwing, snap-fastening, adhesive bonding, and welding (e.g., heat sealing). By way of example, thermal, ultrasound, or laser welding may be used.
According to yet another optional aspect, the first container may be a single piece of injection molded thermoplastic material chosen from polyethylenes (PE), polypropylenes (PP), polyethylene terephthalates (PET), polyvinyl chlorides (PVC), complexes of polyethylene/ethylene vinyl alcohol (PE/EVOH), and complexes of polyethylene/polyethylene terephthalate (PE/PET). The partition may be formed as part of the single piece injection molding. Other polymeric materials and/or multi-piece arrangements may be used.
The first container may include a partition separating at least the first compartment from the second compartment. Optionally, the partition may extend axially between a first end lying approximately in a plane of the first open portion and a second end lying approximately in a plane of the second open portion.
The partition may be centered on the longitudinal axis of the first container, or off-center, depending on the respective volumes of the first and second products. The first container may have a circular or non-circular cross-section. By way of example, one non-circular cross-section that may be used is an oval cross-section. If the cross-section is oval, the partition may be parallel to the major dimension of the first container, or parallel to the minor dimension. The partition may be arranged so as to define more than two separate compartments.
In a further optional aspect, the device may include a neck on the first container having a free edge defining the first open portion and a sleeve on the second container. The sleeve may have a first end defining a mixing orifice configured to communicate with the third compartment, and a second end defining a coupling orifice, wherein the sleeve is configured to receive the neck through the coupling orifice. The device may further include a removable closure closing the mixing orifice, a first coupling element on the neck, and a second coupling element on the sleeve. In this optional aspect, following removal of the first cover from the first container, coupling of the first and second coupling elements causes removal of the closure from the mixing orifice, allowing the three products to be mixed together. The removable closure may be a stopper force fitted to the mixing orifice. Optionally, the device may include a sealing lip on an inner surface of the sleeve to provide a seal between the sleeve and the neck when the sleeve and the neck are coupled together.
In a further optional embodiment, the dispensing orifice may be at a first end of the second container and the coupling orifice at a second end of the second container opposite to the first end. The dispensing orifice of the second container may be fitted with a nozzle for localized dispensing, such as onto the scalp. Such a nozzle may be provided with a breakable tip.
The first coupling element may optionally include at least one tooth projecting radially outwards on an outer surface of the neck and the second coupling element may include at least one helically sloped portion located on an inner surface of the sleeve and configured to engage the at least one tooth. In a further optional embodiment, the first coupling element may include two diametrically opposite teeth and the second coupling element may include two diametrically opposite helically sloped portions. For example, one or more of the teeth may have a shape like that of a grain of rice.
In one optional aspect of the invention, the first cover may be a cap with threading arranged such that the helically sloped portions have a larger pitch than the threading of the cap. In this optional aspect, rotation of the first container relative to the second container engages the teeth with respective helically sloped portions to axially advance the neck within the sleeve. Optionally, the helically sloped portions may have a pitch such that axial advancement of the neck to a coupled position is brought about by a rotation of less than one revolution of the first container relative to the second container.
In yet another optional aspect, the device may include a first product contained in the first compartment, a second product contained in the second compartment, and a third product contained in the third compartment. In this optional aspect, mixing of the first, second, and third products may form a hair treatment composition. By way of example, the hair treatment composition may be chosen from a dyeing composition and a permanent-wave composition. Optionally, at least one of the first and second products may be in the form of a powder.
In yet another optional aspect of the invention, a method of mixing a hair treatment composition may include providing any of the devices described above, removing the first cover from the first container, coupling the first and second containers, and mixing the first, second, and third products. Optionally, at least one of the first and second products may be in the form of a powder.
Aside from the structural and procedural arrangements set forth above, the invention could include a number of other arrangements, such as those explained hereinafter. It is to be understood that both the foregoing description and the following description are exemplary.